The 6th International Symposium: Public Health & the Agricultural Rural Ecosystem, October 19-23, 2008, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is being organized by the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture. Primary assistance will be provided by the NIOSH-funded National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety in Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA and each of the NIOSH Agricultural Centers has a role in hosting a roundtable or scientific session. The event will address health and safety issues related to the rural and agricultural environment. Associated with the 6th International Symposium will be meetings of various agencies and organizations, including a meeting of all the NIOSH Agricultural Health and Safety Centers. Rural health and safety issues in agriculture and other industries present ongoing and significant challenges in research, education, prevention and outreach. With rapid changes affecting the very survival of rural people, the symposium will promote sharing of new knowledge, building future relationships with other researchers from around the globe, and developing knowledge translation networks. Furthermore, it will broaden our perspective to examine the social, political, and environmental impact of these changes on the health of the rural peoples around the world. The four major themes of this symposium, "what we breathe," "what we eat and drink," "how we work," and "how we live" will provide a framework for discussion and scientific presentations on issues and challenges facing the health and future of agricultural and rural workers, and families. Numerous specific topics in each theme will be addressed, such as agricultural health and safety, food safety, zoonoses, particulate and chemical exposures, health determinants, risk assessment and water quality. The objectives of the symposium are to describe and share state of the art cutting edge science, provide recommendations for further research and study areas, provide recommendations for policy, health promotion and prevention, and disseminate knowledge through a special issue of the Journal of Agromedicine: Practice, Policy & Research that is dedicated to Public Health and the Agricultural Rural Ecosystem. This publication will be generated with the involvement and leadership of scientists in the NIOSH Center and Intramural NIOSH programs. The symposium will target and attract local, national and international scientists, policy makers, government employees, agricultural employers and workers, rural people and professionals employed in the areas of health and rural environment. Based on our experience with five previous symposia, participants will be attracted from more than twenty countries worldwide. The expected registration is 350 people with approximately 100 from the United States including representation from the NIOSH Agricultural Health Centers, 200 from Canada and 50 from other countries. [unreadable] [unreadable] Public Health Relevance: This Symposium will address important public health issues and exposures involving rural and agricultural populations in the context of the many changes affecting these people and communities. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]